Dominance
by lupine-eyes
Summary: A bit of a rewrite of "The Pack," from the first season. Willow devises a plan to save Xander from himself, with a little help from a magic potion and the hyena's matriarchal tendencies. Definitely some W/X shipping.


**Dominance **

A/n: I've been re-watching BtVS recently, and for some reason, something about "The Pack" bothered me, so I decided to mess with it a little and give it a W/X slant. Because they are the cutest couple ever. So enjoy!

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Buffy or any of her friends, just this little plot bunny that bit me while watching Joss' masterpiece.

* * *

Willow was literally shaking as she sat down in the library, Xander's words echoing like a litany through her brain, something between fury and sadness struggling like a trapped animal in her chest.

So, Xander was possessed by some sort of demonic hyena, was he? Well, she might be paler than your average sun-worshipping Californian, but she was still the queen of research, and if she remembered her research correctly, hyenas were matriarchal. So why was Xander leading their little pack instead of Rhonda or Heidi? It didn't make any sense.

She bit her bottom lip, an absent hand running through a stray lock of hair. Maybe they weren't dominant enough. Pack animals had this whole thing about dominance, your place in the hierarchy. Despite all appearances, maybe those girls just weren't confident enough to play Alpha. It wouldn't be the first time a bully had picked on other people to hide their insecurity.

Not that that boded well for a solution to their little problem. If Heidi or Rhonda weren't dominant enough to rule the pack, she definitely wasn't anywhere near. No wonder Xander wasn't picking on Buffy. She wasn't weak.

But she couldn't just sit here and do nothing while Xander was going around, running with bullies and acting all… un-Xanderish. There had to be a way to get the hyena out of her best friend, and she couldn't just sit in the library looking for a way to help. Her brain couldn't process when Xander…

A thought occurred. If she were dominant enough, she could well, effectively, control Xander, or at least stop him from doing anything stupid enough. And if she was going to lead the pack, she was going to have to get confident. Like, the opposite of Willow confident.

So when Buffy ran out to go find him, Willow went and found someone who could help her.

"Hey, Amy." Her other blonde friend turned around and smiled.

"Hey, Willow, what's up?"

"Um… I kind of hate to ask, but, uh… you wouldn't happen to know any spells to improve confidence would you? I kind of need one. Like right now."

Amy blinked, as if that was the last thing she expected. "Um… yeah, I used one last week to ask out Dean, you know, from our English class?" Willow nodded vigorously. "Still turned me down, so I guess I won't need the one I was planning for our first date… why do you need one?"

"Oh… um, I've got boy troubles too. Need something just to give me a confidence boost." Willow fibbed, offering a small smile. She wasn't lying, exactly. She did have trouble with a boy. Definitely boy troubles.

"Well…" Amy reached into her locker and drew out a small stopper glass bottle, filled to the lip with a cloudy blue liquid. "This should definitely help. You need to swallow the whole thing about twenty minutes before you want the boost, which should last a few hours. Just be careful; with the confidence boost usually comes a lowering in common sense and um… inhibitions." She finished, a small blush coloring her cheeks. "It's also got a bit more oomph then it probably should have; after Dean rejected me, I broke his arm and found myself making out with another boy not an hour later. It also may have a few side effects that…"

Willow grasped the little bottle between her hands, tuning out as relief replacing the jittery panic she felt earlier. "Thank you so much Amy. I totally owe you one!" With that she turned and ran like a demon out of the Hellmouth towards the library.

Amy paused. "But…" she sighed, shaking her head. "Well, go get'm girl." She chuckled, turning back to put her books away. "He'll have no idea what hit him."

Willow was back just in time to help Buffy secure Xander in the weapons cage. She agreed to watch Xander, her voice firm and Resolve Face securely in place. She already felt more confident, with the little stoppered bottle hiding in her pocket. "I'll be alright." She promised her second-best-friend, watching as the Slayer and her Watcher ran from the room.

As soon as they were gone, she drew out the bottle, watching the swirls of blue liquid dance inside, then without further delay opened it and chugged it right down. It had the consistency of Pepto-Bismol, with all of the chalk and none of the cherry.

Now all she could do was wait.

She tried to concentrate on the computer, but she couldn't help but monitor herself, trying to see if it was working. She certainly didn't _feel _any different; her heart was still pounding like a dance beat in her chest, and it still sped up rapidly when she heard him speak her name. "Willow."

"And he wakes." She said, her voice taking on a sardonic edge. "How're you feeling?"

"Like somebody hit me with a desk." He chuckled, and her eyebrows just rose in response. "What am I doing here?"

"Aside from catching up on your beauty sleep?" She stood, walking over to the cage. Her gait was smoother, and though her heart still fluttered and her breath still came in little gasps, somewhere between fear and something else, she found catching those liquid-dark eyes with her own to be an easier task. Look, she wasn't even blushing.

"You've got me locked up now." He noted, standing up to face her.

"Yeah, people don't tend to feel safe around you when you start eating defenseless little pigs. You're lucky it's just the weapons locker."

"Do you?" A little smirk tugged at his lips.

"Do I what?"

"Feel safe?"

"Well, you are in a cage." She stayed carefully out of reach, walking the length of it so his eyes had to follow her. "Sure, you're all dangerous now, all dressed up in leather and ready to play, but you can't do much worse than bark." She enunciated the last word, giving him a reproving look.

"And what if I wasn't in a cage?"

She laughed, and the sound almost startled her. It wasn't her laugh; it sounded more like Xander's, like possessed Xander's, something darker, something that promised something… more. A thrill went up her spine. "I could still manage you. That's why I'm here instead of Buffy; you don't need Slayer strength to keep you in line, hyena-boy."

His gaze turned considering, his hands running over the mesh of the cage. "If you're so… confident, why don't you open the cage and find out?"

She laughed again. "Oh, don't tempt me. Besides, we all know how that would go. You'd try to attack me, and I'd have to swat you on the nose to remind you to be a good boy."

"You really think you could take me, Wills?" His voice almost seems to be a warning.

Her heart leapt at the old nickname and she gave him a serene sort smile. "Oh, you may be all tough now, Xander, but you forget, I know what you are. I know you better than anyone, possessed or not. I know you just need a… firm hand."

She's closer now, close enough to see his eyes widen just a fraction of an inch and she can hear his breath hitch. "Is that so?"

She's about to answer him when she heard her name called out behind her. She felt herself freeze, but made herself turn to look just as the rest of the Pack charged into the library. She wanted to bolt, like a frightened rabbit, but she made her breathing stay even, made herself stand still. "Well, look who decided to join the party."

They rest of the pack stared at her, confused, circling her. She supposed she still smelled like pray, what with being afraid and all, but she wasn't running like pray. That was probably causing all sorts of weird things in their animalistic brains.

Even Xander was watching with bated breath as his new friends circled her, lunging at her periodically to see if she would react. She made herself stand still until they got bored. Finally, Willow forced a yawn, her jaw cracking. "Are you four done yet? I'm bored now." Her voice took on a sing-song quality and she ran her hands together.

Their eyes shifted from one another, trying to puzzle it out. Finally, Heidi gave voice to it. "Why isn't she running?" She whined. "Why isn't she scared?"

"Oh, I guess you're just not that scary, sweetie." Willow said, surprised at her own fulsome tone of voice. "You're all bark and no bite when there's no one weaker around."

Kyle started to say something, but she turned around and fixed him with a glare. He paled almost immediately and backed down, eyes apologetic. If he had been the animal he was possessed by, his ears would have been flat against his head.

"Good boy." She said, grinning. "Now, boys and girls, there's a new addition to the pecking order."

"Says who?" Rhonda said, her eyes flashing. Oh, so now she wanted to play Alpha? Not even.

Willow's lips curled back in her best snarl, her contempt for this girl real. Without another thought, she strode over to the girl in quick two strides, threading her fingers through the taller girl's hair and yanking her head back to expose the pale flesh of her neck. Rhonda's eyes widened and suddenly Willow felt an immeasurable calm. "I do."

Just as abruptly, Willow let go of the bully with a downward flick of her wrist, and the girl fell a little before catching herself. "Now, any other questions?"

None of the bullies would meet her eyes. Satisfied that the followers were put in their places, she turned to the leader. "How about you, Xander? Any questions for me?" She walked towards the cage, running her fingers over the mesh. She ran a tongue over her bottom lip, her mind racing. She had to complete it. Once Xander had submitted, she had them all, but until then, they would still try and test her, and though she had them right now, she didn't think mere confidence could get her through this alone. Eventually one would over power her, and she'd just be food again. "Well, Xander?"

She slid the key into the lock, opening the door with one swift motion. "Do you want test my dominance?"

He was on her in a second, his hands on her arms and his eyes all liquid dark and shining. "More than you know." His mouth came towards her, and her heart skipped, but instead of the feel of teeth on her throat, she felt his lips on hers. She sat passively for a second, shock keeping her still, before her brain started thinking again. Slowly, she started kissing back, not allowing herself to be unsure, hands coming up to wrap around his neck. She was fighting him for dominance of the kiss even as she was wrestling him for dominance of the pack. It was a savage thing, all tongue and teeth, a battle of wills.

Eventually, miraculously, he backed down, drawing away first. His chest heaved from exertion and lack of air, his eyes met hers, still wide and dark. They flicked away and slowly, ever so slowly he moved his head to reveal the flesh of his neck. Instinctively, Willow rested her lips against it, kissing his pulse point and giving his skin a little nip to seal the deal before she let herself slip out of his hands.

That was the hardest thing to do yet.

She turned around to face the rest of the Pack, all of them adverting their gazes, and sinking to the floor respectfully. Willow felt the flush of pride thrill through her.

And of course, that was the minute Buffy and Giles burst into the room, Buffy holding a fire extinguisher she had ripped from the wall. She stopped short once she realized what was going on, the Pack all kneeling where they were, looking at the floor. She looked at Willow, standing serenely with Xander at her back, who was staring at the back of Willow's head with a strange mixture of awe and deference.

"Not that I'm disappointed to find that you aren't being ripped to shreds and everything, but… what happened?" Buffy asked, trying to nonchalantly set the fire extinguisher on the ground.

"Me and the kiddies had a little talk." Willow said primly. "And they've decided they're going to play nice now. Aren't we?" The Pack chorused their agreement, perhaps a little too quickly.

Buffy had been in weirder situations before, and wisely decided not to ask for more details. She could shake Willow down over sodas when the danger had passed.

Willow used her new-found control over the hyenas to lead them to the zoo, and though they grumbled a little, especially the girls, none of them dared to try and challenge her dominance. Xander was quiet the whole way, staring dazedly at the back of Willow's head.

The zookeeper tried to grab Willow as soon as they had descended into the Hyena's cave, chanting words to take the possession on himself, but the pack was on him immediately, protecting their new Alpha, and he was soon one with the beasts in a completely different way than he had intended.

The four bullies were dazed and confused as the spirits left them, fleeing as soon as the dizzy spell washed away.

Xander shook his head, trying to get used to being normal again. "Guys? Um… what just happened?"

"You were possessed by a hyena." Buffy said helpfully. "And Willow somehow soothed your savage beast. All of the savage beasts." She frowned, turning to her best friend in confusion. "How exactly did happen?"

Willow laughed, her new-found confidence still tingling along her neurons. "I'll tell you later. Right now, let's just go home."

No one could find a reason to argue, so they all started to trudge back to the service. Willow lingered, waiting until Buffy and Giles were just out of earshot before she grabbed Xander's hand and pulled him to her. "Except for you. I'm not quite done with you yet." Her voice had a breathy growl to it, and if Xander hadn't known better, he would have sworn she was possessed.

"Willow…" He breathed.

She placed a finger against his lips to silence him, and then quickly replaced it with her swift and hungry lips. She kissed him quite breathless, only letting him stumble back when she was without air herself, a flush high on her cheeks, and her lips bruised from kissing. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that."

And with that, she turned and stalked out of the pit, leaving an incredibly confused Xander watching her walk away.

* * *

"I ate a pig?" Xander exclaimed as they climbed the stairs of Sunnydale High. "Oh, my god, I ate a pig! I mean, the whole trichinosis issue aside, yuck!"

"Well, it wasn't you." Buffy said, kindly.

"Well, I remember the field trip, and then going down to the Hyena House, and, the next thing I know I'm pushing some guy off of Willow and…" he shuddered. His eyes met Willow's, and she looked away, blushing. "Even after that it's a bit hazy."

"You saved my life." She said, the color high in her cheeks.

"And I understand you stopped me from doing anything stupid." He said, fighting to keep his voice light. He didn't remember, he told himself, as far as they know, he didn't remember. And if he didn't remember, they didn't have to deal with it. And he couldn't deal with it. Not now. "So, we're even. Besides, you're my Willow."

His eyes widened a fraction of an inch at his phrasing, his slip of the tongue afraid he had just given himself away. He kept his eyes locked on her face, trying to see anything that proved his fears. Her breathing had sped up noticeably, and her face had gone almost as red as her hair, but she didn't seem to suspect anything on his part.

Willow, for her part, was having a mini-panic attack. She had already explained her appropriation of the overly-strong confidence potion so that she could take over the Pack and save Xander from himself, and they had all applauded her quick thinking and admonished her recklessness. Mostly, they just seemed glad she was okay. She hadn't told anyone _how_ she had gained control, and she was so glad that Xander couldn't remember. She was wishing that she couldn't either, even though... it was a nice memory. She started blushing uncontrollably, sneaking a peek at him under her eyelashes. She didn't know she had that much blood in her body.

Oh, well. At least he didn't remember. She didn't think she would be able to leave the house if he had remembered and hadn't done anything about it. Or worse, had talked to her about it and told her that it had all been the possession. At least this way, she could dream.

"Come on, Will, we're gonna be late for class." Buffy said, her voice breaking through her whirlwind of thoughts.

"Oh, right. S-see you at lunch, Xander." She snuck one last peek at him and hurried after her friend.

Xander watched them go, uncertain, feeling the burning desire to say something, but not sure what. _His Willow._ God, why did that feel so right? Had it just been the hyena thing, or was there something…?

No. She was Willow. His best friend. Nothing else. Really. Besides, he had a crush on Buffy, didn't he? His hyena had even gone after her… Not that he also didn't feel guilty about attacking Buffy too. He felt extremely sick over it. But, geez, when Willow had…

Gods when did everything become so goddamned confusing?

He walked down the hallway to his next class, encountering an usually bemused Giles.

"You know." He said, in that annoyingly British way he had of talking. "I've been reading up on my animal possession, and I cannot find anything anywhere about memory loss afterwards."

Horror dawned on him. "You didn't tell Willow, did you? Well, either of them?"

"Your secret dies with me."


End file.
